Cursed Potter

by katielewis'19

In 2007 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out, and everyone thought that was the end. However this summer JK Rowling came out with a play-script book continuing Harry Potter’s story through his son, Albus. And Harry Potter fans around the world celebrated; however some fans were not happy with the book because it was so different in format and context. However many fans were also happy with it. They were able to see Harry Potter as an adult helping his kids and what has happened to him and his family. You see Hermione and Ron as an actual couple, raising their own kids. They are seen in a light they have never been before. So why shouldn’t people celebrate? Natalie Anderson, a sophomore, agrees with both of these views. She said, “It was really different from the previous books, but I still think that JK Rowling is a genius and you can see the trio’s iconic personalities shining through.”SPOILERS AHEAD On Barnes and Noble’s website it summarizes the book as, “It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn't much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places”. What some fans have trouble with is the “past that refuses to stay behind him.” The sons of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy use a time turner to go back in time to the events of the fourth book and they change history. So for some it didn’t feel like a continuation of the story but instead going back to the old story and messing with the stories that they love. While these characters were originally strangers, some JK Rowling fans now know them as family and believe that they would know what the characters would do. Some say Harry acted strangely as a father, some say the relationships weren’t true, mainly Albus and Scorpius, and some (like myself) wanted some other characters that didn’t make an appearance. As sophomore Gillian Simpson puts it, “It was an interesting Idea but Rowling kind of changed all of the characters personalities and Scorpius and Albus should have gotten together. Also Voldemort having a child makes no sense. “ And that probably would be what readers are the most upset about. Based on the loveless character we know, believing he had a child is a stretch. In some ways you can see it happening due to the child seeing no love but it is still a stretch. The Cursed Child had some good ideas and some great elements and some fans were satisfied. However many were not, and some are still undecided because of the format and the changes made to beloved characters. In the end though, the main trio, Harry, Hermione and Ron are there in shining colors even if they are not exactly as people pictured them. As Hermione says, just like she would in the other books, “We’ll find a way to fight it, Harry. We always have” and the Harry Potter legacy continues.